Northland

If there is one thing to be said about this album, it is that it will undoubtedly satisfy anyone looking for an incredibly folk-filled experience. This may be a making or breaking point for you, depending on your musical preference. If you go into the album expecting to hear a heavy-hitting and consistent metal album, you will likely be disappointed. However, if you go into it expecting something to satisfy your purely folk-driven needs, you will probably enjoy it.

One of the main strengths this album has it's its unique use of folk instruments compared to other folk metal bands. While most will opt to play the main melodies on a guitar and have flutes or lutes playing for texture, Northland uses those instruments as the foreground, and pushes the guitars into the background. This is both very interesting to listen to, but can sometimes leave the listener wanting something a little bit chunkier.

Perhaps the biggest flaw on the album, in my opinion, is the lack of both theme and musical consistency. While progression through an album is often a very good thing, it can be overdone, to the point where some songs don't sound like they even belong. Out of the 11 songs on the album, I only ever listen to 6, simply because the middle few songs feel like filler that has overstayed it's welcome. It acts like an unwanted middle section that doesn't really serve any purpose except to lengthen the album out a little bit.

But as empty as the middle sounds, the first and last sections are what really drive the album home. The folk melodies are excellent, and the level of motivation you get when listening to them is great. The vocals are also very well done, mixing a wide variety of styles from all ends of the metal spectrum. The clean vocals in a few parts feel a bit rough around the edges, and are hard to listen to if you are listening to the album for the first time. They aren't bad, they just aren't great.

Overall, if you are looking for a very folk-heavy album, this will probably satisfy you quite a bit. The good songs have very distinct melodies and will be stuck in your head for weeks, and can make for some good nostalgia, depending on your situation on the first listen.

Noteworthy Songs: Revenge, The Old Town's Inn, Where the Heroes Die, Withering Rose